Level.



J. N. ZIEGLER.

LEVEL.

APPLIGATION FILED JUNE 22, 1911.

1,033, 143. Patented July 23, 1912.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOI-IN N. ZIEGLER, OF LA GROSSE, WISCONSIN.

LEVEL.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, JOHN N. ZIEGLER, a resident of La Crosse, in the county of La Crosse and State of lVisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Levels, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates tolevels or instruments for determining whether a surface is vertical or horizontal.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved instrument which may be used either as a plumb for determining whether a surface is vertical or horizontal and in which the spirit-indicator may be conveniently transferred from one pocket to another, according to whether the inst-rument is to be used on a vertical or a horizontal surface.

The invention further designs to provide a level of improved construction, and which may be readily adjusted to determine different angles; for example, in the construction of a slightly tapered chimney or structure, so that when adjusted the instrument will indicate the correct angularity relatively to a truly vertical plane.

The invention further designs to provide a level of improved construction.

The invention consists in the several novel features hereinafter set forth and more particularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawings g. Figure 1 is a side elevation of a level embodying the invention, the indicator being shown in that pocket provided for it when it is to indicate the horizontality of a surface. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section, a portion of the bar being broken away. Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

The instrument comprises a bar 10 which is adapted to be held on or against a surface, as well understood in the art. This bar is i provided with Atwo pockets 11 and 12 which.

extend laterally through the bar and are each adapted to receive a quadrangular frame 13 in which a spirit-indicator 14 is mounted. Pocket 11 is adapted to receive the frame 13 to hold the indicatorsubstantially at right angles to the long edges of bar 10 and pocket 12 is adapted to receive said frame and to hold it so that the indicator will be substantially parallel to the long edges of the bar or surface against which the bar may be placed. By means of these pockets, frame 13 which Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led June 22, 1911.

Patented July 23, 1912.

Serial No. 634,714.

s adapted to be removably held in the pockets, may be placed in either pocket so it will be disposed to indicate the angle of the edges of the bar relatively to horizontal or vertical planes or surfaces. For example, when the instrument is to be used as a plumb, the frame 13 with its indicator will be held in pocket 11, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, and when the side of the frame 10 is placed against a vertically extending. surface or wall, the indicator 14 will be disposed at a right angle to said surface and will indicate the disposition of the wall, relatively to the vertical plane. When the frame 13 and the indicator 14 are placed in pocket 12 the indicator will be disposed in parallel relation with the edges of the bar 10, (as shown in full llines Fig. 1), and will indicate when the surface against which the bar may be held is horizontally disposed. Frame 13 is held in either of the pockets by screws 15, which can be removed whenever it is desired to transpose the indicator from one pocket to the other. Transparent plates 16 fit against the sides of frame 13, respectively, and a guard-plate 17 at each side of the bar, holds the transparent plates in the bar. Screws 18 are adapted to secure the guard-plate 17 to the frame 10, said plates being formed with notched ears 37 for the screws. It will be understood that when the indicator is to be removed from one pocket to another, screws 13 will be moved to permit removal of plates 16 and 17 and to permit access to the screws 15 which hold the indicator-carrying frame 13, in the pocket. The same screws and plates may be used for holding the frame 13 in either pocket.

The spirit-indicator 14 consist-s of a glass tube 20, containing a spirit or fluid in necessary quantity to leave a small space, which when it registers with indicating marks 21 on the tube will indicate that edges of the bar 10 are parallel to the horizontal or vertical planes, according to t-he position in which the indicator is placed in bar 10. This spirit-indicator is of usual constructio-n, and is set in suitable material, such as plaster of Paris, in a metallic tube 22. The latter tube is secured to a bar 24 by screws 23 which extend through tube 22 and said bar, and nuts 26 which clamp the tube and bar together. One end of bar 24 is secured to one side of frame 13 by screws 36, and its other end extends downwardly and inwardly, and is adjustably sustained by a pair of nuts 2T and Q8 on a screw-threaded post 29 which is secured to one side ot traine 13. In turned end oit bar 2tis forked to tit or extend aronnd postl 29 and by adjusting nuts 27 and Q8, one end ot the bar and the indicator carried thereby, may be angularly adjusted in traine 1.3 or relatively to the edges ot bar l0, bar 2st, being` tei-ined ot slightly tiexible material, sneh as brass, which perniits this adjustment. ln this manner, the indicator may be ad justed, so that when a given angle relatively to the vertical or horizontal. is desired, the indirator-tube may be adjusted to a nieety, to uniformly indicate that angle. This t'eature is ot material advantage in the erection ot' chimneys or structures having' a slight taper. and when the instrument once set to indicate the desired angle, it may he con tinuously nsed until the structure has been completed.

The invention thus provides an-.instrnnient in which provision niade for t lansposing the spirit-indicator :troni one pocket to another, and so it will be disposed in the bar, to indicate the position otl a snrtace relativel)r to either a horizontal or vertical plane or angular variat-nin with respect to said planes. By removingT screws 2lb and nuts 28, the indicator and its carryinglbar may be removed in event replacement or repair necessary.

.l`lie invention is not to be understood as restricted to the details set iliorth, since these may be modified by the skilled ineelianic within the scope ot the appended elaims, without departing from the spirit and scope ot the invention.

llaving 'thurs described the invention what l claim as nei' and desire to secure, by lietters Patent is:

ll. 'Al'lie eon'ibination of a. bar having' z poel; t therein, a iframe .in said pocket, a spiritdndicater, an indicator-carrying bar extending across the traine, having one oit its ends rigidly secured to one side oit said tranie, and lniving; a doivntnrned portion at its other side, and an intnrned terminal on said doivnturned portion, an adire/ting); means between the intnrned end ot the "ar fyinlLr-bar and the bottoni oit said 'frame said indicator being mounted on said bar.

2, The combination et a bar having; a pocket therein, a frame in said poeliet, a

spiritsindicator, an indieatoicarrying har extending across the traine, having one ot its ends rigidly secured to one side otl said traine, and having a doivntnrned portion at its other side, and an intnrned tern'iinal on said dovvnturned port-ion, a `post secured to the bottoni oit' the trame and having its np per end disposed below the cross-portion ot said bar, and adjusting-means on said post,

engagingr said inturned terminal said indi aitor being nionnted on said bar.

E. ',lhe combination oit a bar having' a peelfet therein, a traine in said pocket, a spirit-indicator, an indicatorcarrying bar, a shell around said indicator, ineans tor removably securing` aid shell. to the carryingbar, and ineans for adjusting' the bar in the traine.

4f. The combination 01"' a bar having` a pocket therein, a rectangular traine having' its enter i'aee termed to tit against the .inner faces ot said pocket, tace-plates tor covering; the sides ot the pocket and substantially tlnsh with the sides oit the bar, said 'traine being,` disposed wholly ivithin said pocket and separately termed troni said plates, means tor reni vz bly securing` said plates to the bar, and ay spirit-indicator carried in said traine.

rthe eoinbinition oft a liar having; a i oclet therein, a rectangular 't' Aame having' its onter tace termed te tit against the inner tace oil said pocket, tace-plates :tor Covering;` the sides ot the pocket and sibstantially tinsh -with the sides of the bar, said 'traine being` disposed wholly Within said ioelret and separately formed troni plates, means tor renioxf'ably securing said plates to the bar, t ansparent plates between the Cevenplates and said traine, and a spirit` indicator :arried in said traine.

rthe combination of a bar having a i elet therein, a traine VFittingin said p zeltet, a spirit-indicator, adjnstably mounted in said trame, said trame beingy disposed v-:liolly within said pocket, tace-plates covering the sides et said postet said I )laterfl havingl novches in their edges, and reinovable means extending into said notches for se airing the taee-plates to said bar.

JOHN N. ZUCGLER. lilitnesses:

U'r'ro Piossna an, Gino. lll. linnen,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for tive cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of ?atents.

Washington, D. C." 

